How did District 19 candidates answer our questions?

District 19 includes Avondale, Tolleson and south Phoenix. In the race for one Senate seat, Guadalupe Chavira Contreras, a Democrat representing the district in the state House, is competing with Democrat Angela Cotera. Joseph "Joe" Hobbs is a Republican write-in candidate.

In the House, Democrat Jose Diego Espinoza and incumbent Mark Cardenas are running for the two seats. Republican Sophia Johnson is unopposed.

SENATE

Guadalupe Chavira Contreras (D)

Age: 38.

Occupation: Arizona representative, District 19.

Family: Wife Sara, six children.

Angela Cotera (D)

Age: 51.

Occupation: Research astrophysicist.

Family: Husband Mark Hulet.

Question: Why are you the best person for the job?

Contreras: I have been honored to represent District 19 since my election to the House in 2012. I'm not a career politician and I've never had a big political machine behind me — I'm just a regular guy with a job and a family trying to make ends meet, but my family has lived in the West Valley since my grandparents were young and I understand and love my community. I am determined that my district have the best possible representation, and I will continue to work tirelessly to build coalitions, work across party lines and defend the interests and values of my constituents.

Guadalupe Chavira Contreras(Photo: Guadalupe Chavira Contreras)

Cotera: As a Latina who is also a physicist, I have spent my entire life opening doors, overcoming barriers to success and mentoring those who have come after me. My acquired skills enable me to break down complex problems and find real solutions. I have served on the Avondale Planning Commission for six years, completed the Leadership West training program and worked with numerous West Valley school districts to pass bond and override elections. So, I have first-hand knowledge of the key problems facing our communities. I am excited to be able to put my unique skill set to work for the District 19 community.

Question: Specifically, what are your priorities for state spending? Are there any areas in which we should rein in state spending?

Contreras: Education. I was happy to support the Governor's Student Success funding proposal this year. It incentivizes improvements, more equitably distributing state funds to the districts that most need them. However, across the nation Arizona still comes in dead last in per-student expenditures for public schools. If we want our kids to have access to the best education possible we must start prioritizing education spending. We need to rein in state spending on our corrections system. Arizona spends over $1 billion a year on incarcerating Arizonans — nearly half for nonviolent offenses. By investing in education, rehabilitation programs and other job-creating measures, we can greatly reduce our expenditures on corrections down the road.

Angela Cotera(Photo: Angela Cotera)

Cotera: My priority is to restore K-12 education funding to a level that enables us to have optimal classes sizes and to recruit and retain the best teachers. The cost of a college education in Arizona must be reduced so all students can graduate with a bright future, not overwhelming debt. We can immediately cut wasteful spending by reducing or eliminating some of the estimated 150 tax credits enacted in the last 20 years. These are simply tax gimmicks that rig the game in favor of the wealthy and corporations. We must make tax fairness a top priority.

Question: What is the greatest threat to Arizona's future, and how would you address it?

Contreras: I first ran for the legislature in 2012 because my family was frustrated by the state of education and lack of quality jobs. These are the two biggest issues we face as a state, and they are intimately intertwined — by improving our K-12, community college and university systems, we attract more businesses that provide high-quality jobs. High-quality jobs improve our state's revenue stream, and we have more funds to invest in our education system. I will continue to work to better our education system, and I will continue to support expanding tax credits for research and development so we can attract more quality employers. I believe this is the formula for creating a healthy economy and large, thriving middle class.

Cotera: Arizona is on the verge of becoming a backwater state, not because we have insurmountable problems, but by choice. We are choosing to underfund schools, limiting the ability of our children to thrive and our businesses to grow. Each year the current legislative leadership chooses to put forth radical right-wing bills that hurt our ability to attract new companies and damage tourism. We need to break this cycle and make growth and opportunity for all our primary purpose. If elected, I will be the only research scientist in the legislature and will bring with me the ability to solve problems based on facts and figures, not ideology.

Occupation: Volunteer community-relations director for American Foundation for Cardiomyopathy.

Family: Single.

Question: What is the greatest threat to Arizona's future, and how would you address it?

Cardenas: Our most immediate threat is how to comply with the recent court ruling of Cave Creek Unified School District vs. Dean Martin, which determined that our Legislature has been shortchanging schools for years. Next session we will have to take a hard look at possibly rolling out tax credits, tax cuts, etc., in order to fund our public schools system like we should have been doing for years.

Mark Cardenas(Photo: Mark Cardenas)

Espinoza: Not educating our youth. Education is going to be key to our future success. Strengthening our public school system, giving the children the opportunity to learn as much as possible.

Johnson: The greatest threat to Arizona's future is the impact of Affordable Care Act (ACA) on small businesses. I would seek opportunities to help small businesses understand ACA and comply with the law and obtain access to superior health-care plans working with the local insurance industry, developing an outreach opportunity for small-business owners to have a conduit for alternatives.

Question: Specifically, what are your priorities for state spending? Are there any areas in which we should rein in state spending?

Cardenas: My three main priorities for state spending are education, public safety and infrastructure. All three areas have dealt with massive sweeps over the past five years and need additional funding in order to remain competitive with the rest of the country. Our public schools have had to rely on budget overrides and bond elections to prevent widespread teacher layoffs. Our police officers have gone without pay increases for years and roads throughout the state, especially in rural areas, are crumbling under the increased traffic and have not been replaced. All three areas are in need of renewed focus when it comes to budget discussions in the next fiscal year.

Jose "Diego" Espinoza.(Photo: Tolleson)

Espinoza: My primary goals are going to be education and health care. We need to make the health care system accessible. I want to study (areas that could be cut). There are several areas that need to be worked on. But if you cut one thing, you end up borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. I want to make sure we are not cutting from one thing to give to another.

Johnson: My priorities for state spending include education, public safety and economic development. I would rein in state spending by reducing the expenditures that are both not mandated by law and not essential in operating a state's department.

Question: Do you support Common Core, better known here as Arizona's College and Career Ready Standards? If so, what tools must the state provide schools to ensure that the Common Core roll out is successful?

Cardenas: Yes. When discussing Common Core implementation with schools, the first request they have made is for assistance from the state government in order to upgrade their broadband infrastructure. The new test requires a hybrid of paper and computer testing and faster internet is needed in order for schools to test students. Next, the Department of Education should provide more support and training in order for teachers to properly administer the test. Most schools have been able to use their own funds to do such training but this has not been the case with every district. More state support is needed.

Sophia Johnson(Photo: www.jupiterimages.com)

Espinoza: Yes. I think that question (of tools) would be best put to our educators, teaming with our educators as well as ourselves.

Johnson: I support higher standards and accountability. To the point that the ACCRS provide that, I support this effort. The use of testing as an appropriate measure of students' academic progress and as an indicator of readiness to graduate from high school and enter either post-secondary education or the workforce is critical in order to produce a workforce that is both competitive and ready for an ever evolving global marketplace. In that process, local control cannot be eroded in the quest for higher standards with curriculum determined by the locally elected school board. The state must provide comprehensive information as to the changes and expectations, and provide answers to the very public concerns.